Worcester Games, only in the Sun

Worcester Sun is proud to announce Worcester Games, which is devoted to video gamers and video games in New England’s second largest city.

Worcester Games features games developed by and for Worcester Sun. In addition, Worcester Sun coverage of local video game developers and studios as well as links to games produced in Worcester will be in Worcester Games.

FOR PLAYERS

The Worcester Wares game is an addicting game in which players score points by matching as many Worcester Wares designs as possible in 90 seconds.

In Orange Run, branded for Worcester Sun, players have to navigate obstacles over 20 levels of increasing difficulty.

New Worcester Games will be announced in Worcester Sun emails and will be available on Worcester Games.

FOR BUSINESSES

According to a study by the Entertainment Software Association, nearly half the population of the United States plays video games. Forty-two percent of Americans play video games at least three hours a week.

Worcester Games will serve that audience in Central Massachusetts, highlighting new and established businesses and creating games that are fun to play and connect gamers with local businesses.

“We’re excited about Worcester Games,” Sun President and CEO Mark Henderson said. “More than ever, businesses need effective and affordable ways to market themselves. We think Worcester Games accomplishes both and is fun.”

“We also think that unlike traditional digital advertising, Worcester Games gives businesses an asset that can be used again and again with game play and messaging that can be updated at will.

“Worcester Games can be played in your web browser, so there’s nothing to download. Most of all, in a great city like Worcester, with its growing video gaming community, Worcester Games is local.”

The Worcester Wares game is an example of a game that can be branded completely for a local business.

WORCESTER SUN COVERAGE

They say necessity is the mother of invention — we’re sure somebody still says it — but add a focused, recent WPI grad and a sprinkle of profanity and you’ve got yourself a gaming company with a seminal premiere offering.

Last summer the Worcester Bravehearts pitched the idea of an app to connect them to their fan base. The students at MassDiGI’s Summer Innovation Program took over from there, creating an addictive game that is also a marketing vehicle for the city’s baseball team.

The lead developer of the video game Bravehearts Derby never misses a chance to improve his skills. In doing so, the Becker College senior-to-be is showing the drive, personality and perspective of an entrepreneur. The keys? Making the most of the fact that there are 24 hours in a day and that it could be gone tomorrow. Meet Rejon Taylor-Foster, the guy you wish you were at 21.

In the same month as Petricore’s first anniversary, Canuel, a 2015 Becker graduate, was named the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year. “Ryan has spent the last few years making all the right moves,” MassDiGI executive director Tim Loew said. “We’re proud of him and how his team’s grown.” Canuel and Petricore, indeed, are a Worcester success story. Read all about it.

The Worcester-based startup has harnessed some magical powers — for instance, childhood passion for Japanese anime and business acumen that focuses on the customer — to rise in the gaming world. If real-world (tabletop) playability with fantastical characters appeals, check out “AEGIS” and look for new creations ahead from this team of Becker grads led by Breeze Grigas. Sean Haley has the story.

Inbox: MassDiGI game gurus team up against income inequality
Becker College and MassDiGI have collaborated with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to build the free, fast-moving and fun social-impact game, “Lotto Boxes,” to address income inequality, what President Barack Obama has called “the defining challenge of our time.” The mobile game’s development team, which also includes Worcester-based startup Petricore Games, led by Becker alumnus Ryan Canuel, and Becker senior Rejon Taylor-Foster, publicly launched the open beta version of “Lotto Boxes” at the SVCF Innovation Conference in San Francisco, Calif., last month.

In Case You Missed It

Many people have asked us about news we’ll be covering, but an equal number have asked questions about how the Sun’s website, worcester.ma, will work. Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions:
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